Laura Kaplan Shanley

Outlaw Births

The British documentary “Outlaw Births” will be airing in the UK tomorrow (July 9th) on Channel 5 at 9pm. The film deals with unassisted childbirth (also known as "UC," "unassisted homebirth," and "freebirth"). I was interviewed along with nine pregnant women who were all planning on giving birth at home, unassisted. I'm pleased to say that all nine succeeded! The film focuses primarily on three women, Clio, Clair and Heather. Footage from all of their births will be shown.

An article about the documentary was published today in the British newspaper The Independent. The article features lovely photos from Clio's recent UC! In the months to come, the documentary may be shown in other countries. I'll be sure to post information on this as soon as I get more details.

Concerning the title, the term “outlaw” refers to the fact that women who choose this route often feel ostracized by friends, family and society. While the UK laws are vague, technically it is not illegal for a woman there to have an unassisted birth.

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MEET Laura Shanley

Since we did not live in poverty, did not choose to invite medical professionals to our births, and had worked with ourselves to eliminate fear and other potentially destructive emotions, we knew that unassisted childbirth was the safest way for us to give birth.

Unassisted Childbirth

In an unassisted childbirth no one acts as a midwife. Instead, the birthing woman herself determines the course of her labor. Partners or friends may participate to varying degrees, but no one instructs the woman as to how to give birth, when to push, what position to be in, etc.